Electric blower

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is an electric blower including: an impeller; and a driving module including a rotor part coupled to the impeller in order to drive the impeller and a stator part, the rotor part including a magnet, the stator part including an armature configured of a core and a coil that are positioned to face the magnet, and the rotor part and the stator part including an air bearing part formed therebetween, wherein the driving module is received in the impeller.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0126593, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, entitled “Electric Blower”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electric blower.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, in an electric blower for a vacuum cleaner, a shaft system of a ball bearing is used, and a fan, a rotating body rotor, and a bearing are separated. In addition, the electric blower has a shape in which an impeller is assembled on the rotor.

Through the above-mentioned shape, an electric blower according to the prior art including the following Patent Document is coupled to a separate ball bearing module and a driving module of an impeller so as to be mounted at a lower portion of the impeller, such that the electric blower may be structurally complicated, it may be difficult to implement miniaturization, and stability of the motor may not be maintained at the time of high-speed rotation.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT Patent Document

(Patent Document 1) US 20070134109A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in an effort to provide an electric blower in which at the time of initial driving, that is, before floating of the impeller, a plate of an impeller point-contacts a ball of the driving module, such that the impeller may rotate while minimizing friction.

In addition, the present invention has been made in an effort to provide an electric blower in which an impeller rotates in a state in which friction is minimized due to a dynamic pressure design by an air bearing, such that super-high speed driving may be performed, and since the driving module is received in the impeller, the micro-miniaturization and ultra-lightness may be implemented.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electric blower including: an impeller; and a driving module including a rotor part coupled to the impeller in order to drive the impeller and a stator part, the rotor part including a magnet, the stator part including an armature configured of a core and a coil that are positioned to face the magnet, and the rotor part and the stator part including an air bearing part formed therebetween, wherein the rotor part and the impeller are rotated by electromagnetic force of the magnet and the armature, and the driving module is received in the impeller.

The rotor part of the driving module may include: a sleeve rotatably supported by a shaft; and a hub coupled to the sleeve and including the magnet coupled to an inner peripheral portion thereof.

The hub may include: a disk part coupled to the sleeve and extended from the sleeve in an outer diameter direction of the shaft; and a side wall part extended downwardly in an axial direction of the shaft from an end portion of the disk part in the outer diameter direction and including the magnet mounted thereon.

The sleeve and the shaft may be mounted with magnetic bearing magnets at surfaces facing each other, respectively.

The magnetic bearing magnet may be mounted at an upper end portion of the sleeve.

The magnetic bearing magnet may have an annular ring shape.

The stator part of the driving module may include: a shaft rotatably supporting the rotor part; a base to which the shaft is fixedly coupled; and the armature coupled to the base and configured of the core and the coil.

The shaft may have a micro gap with the sleeve and is insertedly coupled to the sleeve so that an air bearing part is formed, and dynamic pressure generating grooves may be formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft facing the sleeve in a radial direction of the shaft.

The shaft may further include a ball mounted on a surface facing the impeller in an axial direction of the shaft.

The shaft may be formed with a ball receiving groove for mounting the ball at a central portion of an upper end surface thereof.

The impeller may further include a plate mounted on a surface facing the ball.

The electric blower may further include: an impeller cover covering the impeller; and a motor housing coupled to the impeller cover and including the stator part mounted therein.

According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electric blower including: an impeller; and a driving module including a rotor part coupled to the impeller in order to drive the impeller and a stator part, the rotor part including a magnet, the stator part including an armature configured of a core and a coil that are positioned to face the magnet, and the rotor part and the stator part including an air bearing part formed therebetween, wherein the rotor part and the impeller are rotated by electromagnetic force of the magnet and the armature, the driving module is received in the impeller, and the rotor part of the driving module includes a sleeve rotatably supported by the shaft; and a magnet coupled to the sleeve so as to face the armature of the stator part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an electric blower according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a driving module in the electric blower shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a rotor part of the driving module mounted in an impeller in the electric blower shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an electric blower according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a driving module in the electric blower shown in FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and redundant descriptions thereof are omitted. Further, in the following description, the terms “first”, “second”, “one side”, “the other side” and the like are used to differentiate a certain component from other components, but the configuration of such components should not be construed to be limited by the terms. Further, in the description of the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the related art would obscure the gist of the present invention, the description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an electric blower according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown FIG. 1, the electric blower 100 includes an impeller 110 and a driving module 120. More specifically, the driving module 120 of the electric blower 100 is positioned at a lower portion of the impeller so as to be received in the impeller.

In addition, the impeller 110 is covered with an impeller cover 200. In addition, the driving module 120 is configured of a rotor part and stator part, wherein the rotor part is coupled to the impeller 110, and the stator part is mounted in a motor housing 300. Further, the impeller cover 200 and the motor housing 300 are coupled to each other by press-fitting, or the like.

Furthermore, the driving module has a shaft provided with a radial dynamic pressure bearing part so as to have an air bearing part.

As described above, as the electric blower according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which the driving module is inserted into the impeller, miniaturization and lightness thereof may be implemented, and high-speed driving may be implemented by the air bearing.

Hereinafter, the driving module of the electric blower according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the driving module in the electric blower shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the driving module 120 is configured of a stator part including a shaft 121, a base 122, an armature 123 configured of a core 123 a and a coil 123 b, and a printed circuit board 129 and a rotor part including a sleeve 124, a hub 125, and a magnet 126, wherein an outer diameter portion of the shaft 121 and an inner diameter portion of the sleeve 124 have a micro gap therebetween, and the air bearing part is formed in the micro gap. In addition, facing surfaces of the sleeve and the shaft are mounted with magnets 128 for a magnetic bearing, respectively.

More specifically, in the rotor part, the sleeve 124 is rotatably supported by the shaft 121. In addition, the sleeve 124 may include a radial dynamic pressure generating groove formed in an inner diameter portion so that the air bearing part is formed in the micro gap with the shaft 121, as described above.

Further, the hub 125 is coupled to the sleeve 124 and configured of a disk part 125 a extended from the sleeve 124 in an outer diameter direction and a side wall part 125 b extended downwardly in an axial direction of the shaft from an end portion of the disk part 125 a in the outer diameter direction.

Further, the sidewall part 125 b includes an annular ring shaped magnet 126 mounted on an inner peripheral surface thereof so as to face the armature 123 configured of the core 123 a and the coil 123 b.

Further, the sleeve is mounted with a magnetic bearing magnet 128 a on an inner peripheral surface thereof so as to face a magnetic bearing magnet 128 b of the shaft.

In addition, the magnetic bearing magnet 128 a may have an annular ring shape.

Next, in the stator, the shaft 121 rotatably supports the sleeve 124 as described above and is fixedly coupled to the base 122 at the lower portion thereof.

Further, the shaft 121 is mounted with the magnetic bearing magnet 128 b bearing so as to face the magnetic bearing magnet 128 a of the sleeve. In addition, the shaft may be provided with a magnetic bearing magnet receiving part 121 c for mounting the magnetic bearing magnet.

That is, the driving module having a system in which dynamic pressure by the magnetic bearing magnets 128 a and 128 b mounted on each of the sleeve 124 and the shaft 121 in addition to the air bearing may be further stably designed may be implemented.

In addition, the shaft 121 may be mounted with a ball 127 for point-contact in order to reduce friction with the impeller 110 at the time of the initial driving. In addition, the shaft 121 includes a ball receiving groove 12 lb formed therein. Further, the ball receiving groove 121 b may be formed in a central portion of an upper end surface of the shaft.

Furthermore, the impeller 110 may be mounted with a plate 111 facing the ball 127 as shown in FIG. 1.

In addition, an outer peripheral surface of the shaft 121 may be provided with radial dynamic pressure generating grooves 121 a. As described above, the dynamic pressure generating groove may be selectively formed in the outer peripheral surface of the shaft facing the sleeve or the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve facing the shaft.

The case in which the dynamic pressure generating grooves are formed in the outer peripheral surface of the shaft is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In addition the dynamic pressure generating groove may have various shapes such as a herringbone shape, or the like, and various sizes according to a dynamic pressure design.

Next, the base 122 includes the armature 123 fixed coupled to the outer peripheral portion thereof by press-fitting, adhesion, or the like, so as to face the magnet 126, wherein the armature 123 includes the core 123 a and the coil 123 b.

In addition, the printed circuit board 129, which is to supply power to the armature, is mounted on one surface of the base 122.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a rotor part of the driving module mounted in an impeller in the electric blower shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the rotor part of the driving module 120 is mounted in the impeller 110. In addition, as described above, the impeller 110 is mounted with the plate 111 facing the ball 127 of the driving module.

Further, the sleeve 124 and the hub 125 mounted with the magnet 126 is coupled to an inner portion of the impeller.

Through the above-mentioned configuration, the impeller 110 is rotated simultaneously with rotation of the rotor part of the driving module.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an electric blower according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

More specifically, in the electric blower according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, a magnet is implemented in an inner-rotor type in which the magnet is coupled to a sleeve and rotates together with the sleeve, as compared to the electric blower according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown FIG. 1, the electric blower 100 includes an impeller 110 and a driving module 130. More specifically, the driving module 130 is mounted at an inner portion and a lower portion of the impeller 110 of the electric blower 100.

In addition, the impeller 110 is covered with an impeller cover 200. In addition, the driving module 130 is configured of a rotor part and stator part, wherein the rotor part is coupled to the impeller 110 and the stator part is mounted in a motor housing 300. Further, the impeller cover 200 and the motor housing 300 are coupled to each other by press-fitting, or the like.

Furthermore, the driving module has a shaft provided with a radial dynamic pressure bearing part so as to have an air bearing part.

As described above, as the electric blower according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which the driving module is inserted into the impeller, miniaturization and lightness thereof may be implemented, and high-speed driving may be implemented by the air bearing.

Hereinafter, the driving module of the electric blower according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the driving module in the electric blower shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the driving module 130 is configured of a stator part including a shaft 131, a base 132, an armature 133 configured of a core 133 a and a coil 133 b, and a printed circuit board 138 and a rotor part including a sleeve 134 and a magnet 135, wherein an outer diameter portion of the shaft 131 and an inner diameter portion of the sleeve 134 have a micro gap therebetween, and an air bearing part is formed in the micro gap. In addition, facing surfaces of the sleeve and the shaft are mounted with magnetic bearing magnets 137, respectively.

More specifically, in the rotor part, the sleeve 134 is rotatably supported by the shaft 131. In addition, the sleeve 134 may include a radial dynamic pressure generating groove formed in an inner diameter portion so that the air bearing part is formed in the micro gap with the shaft 131, as described above.

In addition, the sleeve is mounted with the magnet 135 facing the armature of the stator part on an inner peripheral surface thereof. Further, a magnetic bearing magnet 137 a is mounted so as to face a magnetic bearing magnet 137 b of the shaft.

In addition, the magnetic bearing magnet 137 a may have an annular ring shape.

Next, in the stator part, the shaft 131 rotatably supports the sleeve 134 as described above, and is fixedly coupled to the base 132 at a lower portion thereof.

Further, the shaft is mounted with the magnetic bearing magnet 137 b so as to face the magnetic bearing magnet 137 a of the sleeve.

That is, the driving module having a system in which dynamic pressure by the magnetic bearing magnets 137 a and 137 b mounted on each of the sleeve 134 and the shaft 131 in addition to the air bearing may be further stably designed may be implemented.

In addition, the shaft 131 may be mounted with a ball 136 for point-contact in order to reduce friction with the impeller 110 at the time of the initial driving.

Furthermore, the impeller 110 may be mounted with a plate 111 facing the ball 127 as shown in FIG. 1.

In addition, an outer peripheral surface of the shaft 131 may be provided with radial dynamic pressure generating grooves so as to form the air bearing part. As described above, the dynamic pressure generating groove may be selectively formed in the outer peripheral surface of the shaft facing the sleeve or the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve facing the shaft.

Next, the base 132 includes the armature 133 fixed coupled thereto by press-fitting, adhesion, or the like, so as to face the magnet 135, wherein the armature 133 includes the core 133 a and the coil 133 b.

In addition, the printed circuit board 138, which is to supply power to the armature, is mounted on one surface of the base 132.

In the electric blower according to the present invention, at the time of initial driving, that is, before floating of the impeller, the plate of the impeller point-contacts the ball of the driving module, such that the impeller may rotate while minimizing friction, and the impeller rotates in a state in which the friction is minimized due to the dynamic pressure design by the air bearing, such that super-high speed driving may be performed. In addition, since the driving module is received in the impeller, the micro-miniaturization and ultra-lightness may be implemented.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, it will be appreciated that the present invention is not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Accordingly, any and all modifications, variations or equivalent arrangements should be considered to be within the scope of the invention, and the detailed scope of the invention will be disclosed by the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An electric blower comprising: an impeller; and a driving module including a rotor part coupled to the impeller in order to drive the impeller and a stator part, the rotor part including a magnet, the stator part including an armature configured of a core and a coil that are positioned to face the magnet, and the rotor part and the stator part including an air bearing part formed therebetween, wherein the rotor part and the impeller are rotated by electromagnetic force of the magnet and the armature, and the driving module is received in the impeller.
 2. The electric blower as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor part of the driving module includes: a sleeve rotatably supported by a shaft; and a hub coupled to the sleeve and including the magnet coupled to an inner peripheral portion thereof.
 3. The electric blower as set forth in claim 2, wherein the hub includes: a disk part coupled to the sleeve and extended from the sleeve in an outer diameter direction of the shaft; and a side wall part extended downwardly in an axial direction of the shaft from an end portion of the disk part in the outer diameter direction and including the magnet mounted thereon.
 4. The electric blower as set forth in claim 2, wherein the sleeve and the shaft are mounted with magnetic bearing magnets at surfaces facing each other, respectively.
 5. The electric blower as set forth in claim 4, wherein the magnetic bearing magnet is mounted at an upper end portion of the sleeve.
 6. The electric blower as set forth in claim 4, wherein the magnetic bearing magnet has an annular ring shape.
 7. The electric blower as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor part of the driving module includes: a sleeve rotatably supported by the shaft; and a magnet coupled to the sleeve so as to face the armature of the stator part.
 8. The electric blower as set forth in claim 1, wherein the stator part of the driving module includes: a shaft rotatably supporting the rotor part; a base to which the shaft is fixedly coupled; and the armature coupled to the base and configured of the core and the coil.
 9. The electric blower as set forth in claim 8, wherein the shaft has a micro gap with the sleeve and is insertedly coupled to the sleeve so that an air bearing part is formed, and dynamic pressure generating grooves are formed in an outer peripheral surface of the shaft facing the sleeve in a radial direction of the shaft.
 10. The electric blower as set forth in claim 9, wherein the shaft further includes a ball mounted on a surface facing the impeller in an axial direction of the shaft.
 11. The electric blower as set forth in claim 10, wherein the shaft is formed with a ball receiving groove for mounting the ball at a central portion of an upper end surface thereof.
 12. The electric blower as set forth in claim 11, wherein the impeller further includes a plate mounted on a surface facing the ball.
 13. The electric blower as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: an impeller cover covering the impeller; and a motor housing coupled to the impeller cover and including the stator part mounted therein. 